Celluloid knife-handle



june 24, 1924.

I "c..w. PLATTS CELLULOID KNIFE HANDLE Filed March 10, 1922 INVENTOR.

Char/es 2/. P/atfs A TTORNEY Patents June 24, W24.

turn I re CE W. PLA'ITS, OF THOMASTON, CONNECTICUT.

cmULoIn KNIFE-HANDLE. I

Application filed March 10, 1922. Serial No. 542,805.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. PLATTB,

a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of Thomaston, county of Litchfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Celluloid Knife-Handles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cutlery and more particularly to an improved form of celluloid handle for pocket-knives and penknives.

One object of the invention is to produce a knife handle of sheetcelluloid having an ornamental identifying or emblem section formed therein.

A further object is to produce'a celluloid knife handle of the above character which Q will be simple, economical to manufacture, and very ornamental and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view there have been illustrated in the accompanying drawing several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

There has long been a demand in the cutlery trade for a practical pocket-knife or penknife having means for identifying the owner thereof. This demand has in the past been met partially by employing an engraved metal shield in the handle of the knife. This form of handle, however, has

proven impracticalfirst, because of the expense of engraving, and second on account of the rapid tarnishing of the metal shield. With the handle of the present invention, identifying marks may be formed directly in the celluloid by stamping, thereby elimihating the expense of engraving. Moreover, since the material of the handle cannot tarnish, the appearance of the knife will not deteriorate even after a long period of use.

If desired, the ornamental effect may be enhanced by employing celluloid inserts of any desired shape andcolor, which themselves may have the identifying or emblem marks stamped thereon.

Fig. 1 represents a top'plan view of the sheet celluloid blank from which a handle is to be formed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank shown in Flg. 1',-witl 1 a stamped-out shield shown in detached position.

' Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 2, showi an insert in decoating. 1

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the knife handle showing its appearance after an initial has been stamped in the insert.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a complete knife with the completed handle in place.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of handle having a pair of initial-shaped apertures, and showing a pair of similarly shaped inserts ready to be fitted within said apertures.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views,- 10 represents a blank as it appears after being stamped from the original sheet of celluloid. This blank is preferably made substantially rectangular in shape, but tapers slightly from one end to the other as shown. In order to form a handle from the blank 10, a

shield-shaped portion 11 is first punched out, leaving an aperture 12 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. An insert 13 of identical shape but of a color, shade, or texture contrasting with that of the blank 10 is then fitted into the aperture 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To firmly secure the insert 13 in the blank, a thin coating of celluloid cement, preferably acetone, is next applied to the rear face of the insert 13. The cement coating should preferably completely cover the insert and extend a short distance beyond its edge, as indicated by the. dotted line 14 in Fig. 4, so as to cause the cement to penetrate into the joint.

An indentifying or emblem markcom-. prising" an initial R in this instance-is next formed upon the obverse of the shield, preferably by stamping with a hot die. If desired, the identifying or emblem mark'loo may be then filled with gold or enamel. Before attaching the handle to the handle support of the knife, the edges of the blank may be trimmed off as indicated by dotted lines 15 and 16 in Fig. 5. Three small holes may also be punched in the handle to permit it to be secured to its support by the usual upstanding pins 17.

A modified form of knive handle, em- I bodying the principles of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 7. In this form, two apertures, 18 and 19, in the shape of the initials hI'and C have been formed in the celluloid blank 20. A pair of insert members, 21 and 22, also in the shape of the initials M and C, are then fitted in the apertures and cemented in place, in the same manner as the insert 13. The inserts 21 and 22 should preferably contrast with the re-.

mainder of the handle 20 as in the previous embodiment.

One advantage of the present invention is the elimination of waste of material in the'manufacture of the handles. This is due to the fact that in the manufacture of the handles, the shield-shaped portions stamped from one celluloid sheet are utilized to form the inserts inthe handles of a different kind of celluloid. While it is preferred to manufacture the handles from celluloid, it Will be .understood' that any other material of similar properties may be employed Within the scope of the invention.

lVhile there have been. illustrated in this specification several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a handle for pocket-knives,'a celluloid blank, an aperture formed in said blank,

,and an identifying section of celluloid fitted within said aperture, said identifying section being cemented to the celluloid blank at its back 2. The process of making a pocket-knife handle which comprises cuttinga section from a sheet of celluloid to fit a knife handle, support, cutting an aperture in said section, fitting an insert of celluloid into said aperture, and applying cementaround the edges of said celluoid insert. 7

3. The process of making a pocket-knife handle which comprises cutting a section from a sheet of celluloid to fit a knife handle support, cutting an aperture in said section, fitting an insert of celluloid into said aperture, and applying acetone around the edges of said celluloid insert.

4. The process of making a pocket-knife handle which comprises cutting a' section from a sheet of celluloid to fit a knife handle support, cutting an aperture in said section, fitting an insert of celluloid into said aperture, applying cement around the edges of said insert and stamping an identifying mark on said insert.

5. The process of making a pocket-knife handle which comprises cutting a substantially rectangular section from a sheet of celluloid, cutting an aperture in said section, fitting an'insert of celluloid into said aperture, applying cement around the edges of said insert, stamping an identifying mark on said insert, and shaping the edges of said section to fit a knife support.

6. In a handle for pocket knives, a. blank of thermoplastic material, an aperture formed in said blank, and an identifying or emblem section of thermoplastic material fitted within said aperture, said section being cemented into said aperture by a solvent for said thermoplastic material.

In testimony whereof, I have afixed my signature to this specification.

CHARLES W. PLATTS. 

